The Malaysian Residence Pass–Talent is a fairly new visa option from the Malaysian Government that allows foreigners to work and live in Malaysia for up to 10 years.
Initiated by TalentCorp under the Economic Transformation Programme and available since April 2011, the RP-T enables highly qualified expatriates to work full time in the country without the need to be employer dependent, which gives current expats the freedom change employers without having the need to renew the pass.
With the RP-T, expats’ spouses and children under 18 are also permitted to further their studies or to seek employment, albeit the latter option is only available to the spouse. Furthermore, expats that hold an RP-T make it possible for their dependent family members over 18, such as parents and parents-in-law, to be entitled for a five year social visit pass.
To be eligible for the Residence Pass, applicants need to be highly skilled individuals possessing the necessary professional qualifications, work experience (5 years of total work experience and 3 years of Malaysian working experience), and hold a valid Employment Pass at the time of application.
Potential candidates also have to earn a minimum of RM144,000 per annum, have an income tax file number in Malaysia, and have paid income tax for at least two years. Special preference will also be given to applicants who are employed in the 11 industries that form part of the National Key Economic Areas (NKEA).
The only downfall of the Residence Pass in Malaysia is that it requires expats to have been working for a minimum period of three years, which means that interested applicants would have to obtain an Employment Pass and a job to begin with.
The main incentive for TalentCorp to issue the Residence Pass-Talent is for foreign talents to help train local talents in order to meet international skill requirements and standards.
The government hopes that with this new visa, expatriates along will local talents will help to produce better growths in the Malaysian economy, thus creating a win-win situation for both parties. And with the visa, expatriates who enjoy living here will also be free to discover Malaysia to its fullest extent with minimal restrictions.
Additional information on the RP-T can be found here.
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